What is the A3 Business Forum?

The A3 Business Forum is the automation industry’s equivalent of a shareholder retreat. It’s the boardroom-meets-brainstorm January extravaganza that assembles sharp strategy, tech leadership, and serious dealmaking in one place. The next one is set for January 19–21, 2026. 

Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), this business forum brings together the top minds in robotics, AI, machine vision, and manufacturing tech to talk shop, swap strategies, and casually shift the future of industrial automation. 

Held every January, the event packs out an upscale resort in Orlando, Florida, turning it into one of the biggest Orlando business networking events on the automation calendar. And no, it’s not your average expo floor mess. It’s invite-only (or Exclusive A3 members-only). It’s boardroom meets beachside bar. And the people in the room are writing the playbook on what’s next.

With past speakers like Boston Consulting Group’s CEO Rich Lesser and FANUC America’s Mike Cicco, it’s easy to see why forward-looking teams like Standard Bots show up early and leave smarter.

Why do leaders show up with notepads and open calendars?

• No booths, more brains: You won’t find vendor gimmicks. Just top execs, strategists, and engineers discussing what matters.
  
  
• Big topics, bigger outcomes: Think reshoring plans, AI deployment strategies, M&A chatter, and where robotics in manufacturing is headed next.
  
  
• Deals get done here: Real pilots, partnerships, and product pivots are born over dinner or post-panel cocktails.

Want to get a feel for the tech foundation behind the discussions? This breakdown of what industrial robots do today is a solid primer. And yes, the vibe is very different from your standard trade show.

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Where and when was the A3 Business Forum 2025?

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Impressive speakers in January 2025

Geoff Colvin (Fortune) broke down the risk matrix like a poker table, from reshoring volatility to regulation landmines. 

Meanwhile, Alan Beaulieu from ITR Economics? He straight up warned leaders not to sit on their hands, because while Q1 might stay sluggish, Q3 and Q4 2025 will be automation’s playground.

Want receipts? Here’s the official agenda and an inside look from the speakers.

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What we got out of the A3 Business Forum 2025

A3 2025 hit like a triple-shot espresso for automation nerds. Three days. Dozens of high-impact sessions. Enough acronyms and ROI stats to crash your inbox.

Key insights from the A3 Business Forum

• Keynotes worth staying sober for: Leland Melvin (yeah, the NFL player-turned-astronaut) opened the event by casually flexing about space travel while tying it back to mentorship and leadership in high-risk industries. Colvin dissected geopolitical chaos like a TED Talk with teeth.
  
  
• Breakouts with bite: “Where Automation’s Going Next” brought leaders from GXO, Collaborative Robotics, and Hummingbird Systems into one room. Spoiler: everyone agreed AI + robotics is the next iPhone moment, but no one agrees on who’s holding the App Store keys.
  
  
• Industry-specific deep dives: Sessions zeroed in on robotics, manufacturing, logistics, automotive, and health care. Every track had exec-level insight, like how cobots are reshaping packaging, or why smart factories need smarter supply chains.
  
  
• Actual deals being made: Yeah, you could learn about reshoring strategy … or bump into a future business partner over sliders and seltzers at the poolside dinner.

And if you need a crash course before the next A3 meetup, here’s a primer on what industrial robots are and how they work. You’re welcome.

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How is the A3 Business Forum different from other conferences?

The A3 Business Forum stands out because it trades buzzwords for blueprints. It fuses exec-level strategy with live automation demos that spark real deals. A3 is where builders, not just talkers, shape the future of robotics and deployment.

1. Strategy > swag bags: A3 blends C-suite insights with hands-on automation demos. So while your average business forum hands you generic slide decks, A3 hands you investor contacts and robotic proof-of-concepts.
   
   
2. The crowd actually builds things: This isn’t just polished startup founders and VC bros. It’s operators, integrators, and engineers who know how to rebuild a servo with a multi-tool. Think execs from Siemens sitting next to system integrators from Michigan. That’s not a vibe; that’s a shortcut to better tech.
   
   
3. It’s got serious ROI energy: We’re not talking “hope you meet someone useful” kind of networking. We’re talking “closed a six-figure pilot before dessert.” Several partnerships from past A3 meetups led directly to deployment. That’s the power of a real automation-first forum.
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4. Automation is the headline: Most Orlando business networking events include a half-baked panel on AI and call it a day. A3 is where entire tracks are dedicated to robotics, vision systems, cobots, and the tech behind the tech. Want to see what’s next? It’s probably demoing in one of the breakout rooms.

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How Standard Bots stays ahead through events like A3

Standard Bots doesn’t just attend the A3 Business Forum, we leverage it. RO1 wasn’t built in a vacuum; it was built with feedback from the same CNC shops, system integrators, and automation nerds who show up at events like this.

Why does it matter?

• They treat A3 like an R&D accelerator: Standard Bots doesn’t just show up with a booth and a sizzle reel. They mine the A3 meeting for product feedback, user pain points, and ideas. It’s part market research, part future-proofing.
  
  
• The team builds in public (and in person): You’ll spot Standard Bots folks in deep convos with manufacturers about how to shave 8 seconds off a weld cycle, or how cobot palletizing gets sketchy at 18 kg payloads. In fact, check out how RO1 tackles palletizing without losing precision.
  
  
• They talk to humans, not just algorithms: It’s easy to read a white paper. It’s harder (and more useful) to hear an operator say, “Your UI makes me feel smart.” That’s the kind of feedback RO1 integrates directly from real people solving real problems.
  
  
• It’s how they stay scrappy and scalable: While some universal cobot companies spend millions on bloated sales teams, Standard Bots invests in presence, being at the table when the future of automation is being mapped out.

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How to register for the A3 Business Forum 2025

Didn’t grab your pass for this year’s A3 Business Forum? Well … you missed out.

• Registration is hosted by A3 directly: Head to automate.org to stay in the loop. They’ll drop the registration link and early bird pricing for next year’s event, January 19–21, 2026.
  
  
• General admission vs. VIP: Regular tickets include all keynotes, meals, and networking events. VIP gets you extra access. Think front-row seats, private meetups, and fewer awkward elevator intros.
  
  
• Early registration isn’t a suggestion: It’s a necessity. Tickets sold out early in 2025, and Orlando business networking events like this don’t leave many seats open for last-minute buyers. Set a calendar alert.
  
  
• Got questions about eligibility? You’ll need to be an A3 member, or come as a sponsor, exhibitor, or media rep. This isn’t open to the general public like Automate is.
  

TL;DR: If you want your face in the room where the robotics money moves, get in early, get verified, and don’t wait for someone to forward you the Eventbrite link.

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Summing up

The A3 Business Forum happens every January in Orlando, Florida. It isn’t your average “see-and-be-seen” event, it’s where decisions happen. With 2025’s forum drawing everyone from robotics execs to AI disruptors, it’s a key signal for what’s next in manufacturing tech.

If you're a robotics leader, startup founder, or just someone who thinks “automation” means more than conveyor belts, this is where you need to be. 

Next steps with Standard Bots

RO1 by Standard Bots isn’t just a robotic arm. It’s the cobot your factory’s been manifesting.

• Affordable and adaptable: At nearly half the cost of comparable bots, RO1 makes automation less “CEO-only” and more “actually doable.” Or lease it from just $5/hour.
  
  
• Precision and power: With an 18 kg payload and ±0.025 mm repeatability, RO1 handles CNC, packaging, pick-and-place, and more. No sweat.
  
  
• AI-driven simplicity: RO1’s built-in intelligence (yes, like GPT-4-level smart) means it programs itself while you sip your coffee. No engineers required.
  
  
• Safety-first setup: It works alongside humans using built-in vision and collision detection. No cages, no worries.

Book your risk-free, 30-day onsite trial and see what happens when affordable automation stops being a buzzword and starts making you money.

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FAQs

1. How much does it cost to attend the A3 Business Forum?

Rates ranged from $1,200 to $1,800, depending on whether you’re an A3 member. Not cheap, but when the guest list includes execs, VCs, and automation nerds with actual budgets, it’s worth the ROI (and the catered buffet).

2. What industries are represented at the A3 Business Forum?

A3 isn’t just a robotics meetup. It’s a mashup of manufacturing, logistics, health care, automotive, AI, and finance. So, if your industry touches automation, someone from your world is already booked for Orlando.

3. Can startups attend the A3 Business Forum?

Yes, and they should. Startups use this forum to land pilots, partnerships, and sometimes even post-panel DM slides into VCs’ inboxes. If you’re building anything in the robotics or automation stack, this is where you get noticed.

4. What’s the dress code for the event?

Business casual. Think polos and sport coats, not hoodies and hackathon T-shirts. If you’re meeting potential investors or Fortune 500 buyers, maybe leave the Crocs at home, even if they’re in sport mode.

5. How do I network effectively at the A3 Business Forum?

You’re in a room full of automation insiders, ditch the “So what do you do?” and start with “How’s AI shaking things up for you this year?” Then hit the VIP mixers, breakfast sessions, and panel Q&As. It’s like speed-dating, but for deals.